


2 AM in a Target Parking Lot in Tampa

by EveryDayBella



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Angst, Body Pillows, Current Season, First Kiss, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, THIS IS A THING, Target, i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-28 18:52:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17792825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EveryDayBella/pseuds/EveryDayBella
Summary: “I’m going to Target.” Tyler grunted, putting space between them. He was too tired for this. Jamie was exhausting.“It’s like past midnight? Why?”“Cause I can’t find my stupid body pillow and so I can’t sleep. So Target it is.”Jamie’s quiet and still in a way that used to freak Tyler out but he knows Jamie now. He knows the way he thinks and feels and the way he is. Jaime’s just thinking, processing the information to come to the right answer. It’s not the way that Tyler would do it, but that’s why they work so well together.“Can I come with you?”Tyler’s bad mood faded for a minute. He liked when people wanted to do things with him, even if it is a trip Target at some god awful hour of the night. He really liked when Jamie wanted to do things with him even if is a trip to Target too early in the morning. “Yeah. Come on.”





	2 AM in a Target Parking Lot in Tampa

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know. I'm mad and sad and I love Jamie Benn so much. All mistakes and there are many are mine.

This wasn’t supposed to happen on a chartered flight. That was the thing. It was supposed to be easy. They had the run of the plane, it was only them, everything went to the same place. It was better. 

 

Only.

 

Only sometimes things still got lost and sometimes those things where Tyler’s.

 

He had terrible fucking luck and he wanted the world to know. 

 

This time it had been his body pillow. It shouldn’t have been a big deal. It was ultimately just a pillow but they lost the game against the Lightning and every muscle in Tyler’s body hurt, and he couldn’t get his stupid brain to shut up and it all boiled down to his stupid pillow and not being able to sleep. He finally threw the covers off, found a pair of shoes and his phone and wallet. He shoved the card key into the pocket of his shorts and found an uber still up at this ungodly hour. He was still mostly paying attention to his phone as he shut the door behind him and ran into a solid, sleep warm body in the hallway. 

 

Jamie looked like shit. He was pale, shoulders lack and slumped like he was folded in on himself. His big eyes were down cast and lips turned into a frown. Soft, ungelled hair fell over his forehead left untamed after his shower. He grabbed Tyler’s shoulders to steady him after they collide together. “What are you doing up?” He asked un-accusing, just tired and worn out. 

 

“I’m going to Target.” Tyler grunted, putting space between them. He was too tired for this. Jamie was exhausting. 

 

“It’s like past midnight? Why?”

 

“Cause I can’t find my stupid body pillow and so I can’t sleep. So Target it is.”

 

Jamie’s quiet and still in a way that used to freak Tyler out but he knows Jamie now. He knows the way he thinks and feels and the way he is. Jaime’s just thinking, processing the information to come to the right answer. It’s not the way that Tyler would do it, but that’s why they work so well together. 

 

“Can I come with you?”

 

Tyler’s bad mood faded for a minute. He liked when people wanted to do things with him, even if it is a trip Target at some god awful hour of the night. He really liked when Jamie wanted to do things with him even if is a trip to Target too early in the morning. “Yeah. Come on.”

 

“What are you doing up?” Tyler asked on the elevator.

 

Jamie shrugged shrinking in on himself even more. Tyler hated it. That’s not his Jamie. His Jamie was goofy and happy and fierce. This sad, dark eyed husk that had come to stay just wasn’t right. “Couldn’t sleep. Just laying there seemed like a waste of time.”

 

There’s a question on the tip of Tyler’s tongue, about what Jamie would have done if Tyler hadn’t run into him, if he would have been sought out anyway. Tyler shut that line of thought down. 

 

They’re quiet sitting in the back seat of the uber. The driver doesn’t seem to give them a second thought after they give their destination. They’d all gotten a talk about what to not say in public after the whole Senators thing, but more than that there’s just nothing to say. It's dark and they can’t sleep and they lost, they lost, they lost. It doesn’t matter anymore. 

 

By contrast the artificial brightness of Target seems to bright, to exposing. It’s late enough that the Starbucks inside is closed not that they need the caffeine or the sugar, but it might distract from the constant low level ache that he feels all the time now. 

 

It’s too bright. The dark circles around Jamie’s eyes to dominate. 

 

Tyler grabs a red basket even though they’re only here for one thing. It’s the kind of thing his mom would do, he thinks. 

 

“Why a body pillow?” Jamie askes, soft and curious as they walk back to housewares. 

 

_ Because I’m cuddly and touch starved.  _ He thinks to himself but answers, “Helps you know? With my knee and back and stuff.”

 

Jamie nodded and Tyler thinks he’s going to let it go but then they turn onto the aisle with the pillow and he said, “I’m sorry.”

 

Tyler sighed and cursed the late hour and wondered if he could get away with a hot pink furry body pillow. “What about, Jam?”

 

“Your back you know.”

 

“And how exactly is that your fault?” It wasn’t anyone's fault. He’d just tweaked it and it wasn’t healing as fast as he wanted it too. The most he gets is a shrug in return. Tyler rolls his eyes. Stupid Jamie. 

 

“Not everything is your fault, Chubbs.”

 

Jamie’s face darkened, pretty lips twisting into a scowl. “Isn’t it.”

 

That hurt. It hurt in a place that wasn’t his back or his knee or his ankle or shoulder. It hurt in a place where no other player, no other team, could hurt him. It hurt somewhere deep and uncomfortable that makes him sick to his stomach. It hurt and made him want to tear the world apart because Jamie is hurting. Tyler didn’t like it. Jamie hurt. 

 

Tyler pulled a plush and soft blue body pillow off the rack and shoved it into Jamie’s hands. He’s so absurdly huge that the pillow looks small. Tyler almost laughed. “Here, it’ll be better for your knee.”

 

“My knee is fine.” Jamie grouched but clutched the pillow. Tyler threw the furry pink one on the basket and counted it as a win. 

 

By unspoken agreement they don’t head for the check out. They wonder the aisles aimlessly, stopping when something catches their eye. There’s nothing to say. They’re both putting off sleep, putting off the quiet ache of an empty hotel room and nothing to fill it but their own thoughts. 

 

Tyler wanted to say something, wanted to point out that none of this, whatever this is, is Jamie’s fault. He wanted to reach out and close the distance and just be Jamie and Tyler like they used to be before the team got so so heavy. Before the distance between them got too big. 

 

They end up on the pain relief aisle of all things. Tall rows of tylenol, ibuprofen, advil, bengay cream, and joint braces. Jamie’s blue pillow has ended up in the cart with Tyler’s pink one. Neither of them are going to buy anything here, they get everything they need from the trainers, but they look like there's something new anyway. 

 

The entire situation was surreal. That’s the only excuse Tyler had for the mirthless laughter that bubbled up from his gut. He didn’t mean to do it. It just happens because its all he has left. Jamie looked at him, confused and worried. 

 

“What the fuck are we doing, Jamie?”

 

Jamie shrugs. “Are you okay?”

 

“No. I wanna be asleep. I wanna be drunk and happy. I wanna be four years ago when we were stupid and could do anything. I wanna not hurt everytime I move. I wanna be yours and actually fucking mean it and I don’t know. I fucking miss you.”

 

Once he gets started Tyler couldn’t seem to stop. He could blame the late hour, the loss, the rollercoaster ride of the last month and half, but it would all be a lie and he’s too tired to lie.

 

“I’m right here?” Jamie spread his arms and looked so confused. It's a little bit adorable. 

 

“Yeah, you’re really not though.” Honesty was like a tap that he suddenly can’t turn off. “You’re here but it's not the same. And it's not about the team so stop thinking about that right now. It’s about how I come second to fucking Katie. Fuck, I really should not have said that.”

 

“What’s wrong with Katie?” Jamie stuttered a little mad Tyler could see, but he was in too deep to stop now. 

 

“Nothing really. I tried, Jamie. I tried so fucking hard to like her because you clearly did, but when she was in the picture it was pretty clear there wasn’t room for me and like fine, whatever I’m just your bro it doesn’t matter except that you were mine and I fucking missed you.”

 

“What about all your bros?” Jamie threw back at him, hands on his hips. “Brownie and Jessie and Cracks and all of your other bros?”

 

“They’re my friends but they don’t hold a fucking candle to you!” Tyler shouted back. “Also why are we having this conversation at two o'clock in the morning at Target.”

 

There’s a moment of stunned silence and then Tyler watched as Jamie’s face fell defeated and heartbroken and his eyes deep and shiney. “Tyler, they’re trying to take the C away from me.”

 

Tyler knows how much it means to him. He remembers how excited and proud and scared he was the first time he pulled it on. He’d watched as Jamie grew into that role and was damn good at it. Watched him take pride and learn and be better. Watched as a team built itself and battled for him. And saw how devastated he was when he was accused of the opposite. 

 

“I know.” Tyler said. “I’m the one they're trying to force it onto. And I don’t want it but I’m terrified you’re gonna end hating me for it anyway.”

 

“Tyler.” Jamie sighed softly, rushes forward and he’s suddenly there filling all the space in front of him smelling of aftershave and pine and something warm that Tyler wants to curl up in and never leave. Something solid and safe and home. Jamie’s fingers are trembling as they slide around Tyler’s jaw, cupping his cheeks, drawing him in. “It’s not gonna happen. I know okay. I know and this isn’t your fault. It never was and it never will be. I won’t hate you. I can’t. You’re, you’re my, you’re my Tyler.”

 

Tyler laughed, softly, because how long has he been waiting to hear that. “If you kiss me for the first time in a Target I will kill you.”

 

Jamie smiled, exposing dimples that Tyler so rarely got see anymore. “Let’s get out of Target then.”

 

At the checkout they fought over who gets to pay till Tyler hip checked Jamie out of the way and swiped his card. Jamie grabbed his hand as they walked out the door, pulling him to the side when they’re out in the muggy Florida air. Then Jamie pulled him close, tilting his chin and kissing him sweet and soft and deep until it’s all Tyler could do to hold on kiss him back. His fist clung to Jamie’s shirt right where the C would be on his jersey, where his heart thunders in his chest. 

 

And at two AM in a Target parking lot in Tampa it all comes together. 


End file.
